Chapter 44: The Battle for Promotion to the Inner Sect

Ji Yao knew that she had gained the upper hand in this round by acting cleverly; before her opponent could even raise his sword, she struck first with an earthen spike. Whether he retreated or tried to break through with his sword, he was a step too slow. In a match where both participants were strong, every moment counted, and victory belonged to those who seized the initiative. That single spell not only disrupted the swordsman’s judgment, but ultimately sent him off the arena. Thus, at the end, Ji Yao sincerely offered him a word of advice. Her opponent clearly understood after a moment’s pause, and, rather than dwell on it, responded graciously before leaving. She imagined that, in time, he would grow into an outstanding sword cultivator.

In the third round, Ji Yao won again, advancing to the top 150. She let out a long, slow breath—one more victory would finally reach her goal, but she sensed that the next round would not be so easy.

After this round, since some had fought at close quarters and inevitably suffered injuries, the sect granted the 150 advancing disciples three days’ rest before the fourth round began.

Ji Yao held the seventy-fifth number, so there was no need for her to draw lots again. Once everyone else had drawn, the last remaining lot would determine her opponent for this round.

She had already observed her opponent—a young woman about eighteen, whose cultivation was higher than her previous adversary, at the eleventh layer of Qi Refining.

Unlike others, this woman would remove her outer sect robe before stepping onto the stage, revealing a plain, short jacket worn by rural folk. The sleeves of her garment were tightly bound, giving her the appearance of a martial artist from the mundane world at first glance.

But Ji Yao, having watched her prior matches, knew this was to better display the advantages of her chosen magical weapon—a pair of reversed short blades.

These blades were pitch-black, with only a star-like crystal embedded at each hilt. When infused with spiritual power, the blade’s aura gleamed like meteors streaking through the night sky, earning them the name "Meteor Shards."

Paired with the woman’s unpredictable movements, these Meteor Shards proved formidable; her previous opponents were invariably caught off guard, unable to track her form, and found the blades pressing against their vital points before they could react.

From then on, she controlled the pace, pressing forward relentlessly until her adversary was utterly defeated.

Knowing oneself and one’s opponent was the proper attitude in battle. After careful study, Ji Yao realized that facing this woman, she could no longer rely solely on spellcasting.

No matter how adept one was at Qi Refining spells, there was always a momentary gap—even if it seemed instantaneous, the pause existed, however slight.

If the opponent was fast enough, she could exploit that gap, and that would spell danger for Ji Yao. Clearly, the woman possessed such speed; her movement techniques were exceptional, though not quite equal to Ji Yao’s, but her rapid attacks surely benefited from more than technique alone.

Her movements and strikes were both swift; if an attack failed, she withdrew and shifted instantly, always searching for another opportunity, determined that every strike must count.

If it wasn’t because she wore a speed-enhancing treasure, then perhaps her spiritual roots included wind affinity, which explained everything.

If Ji Yao hoped to win without paying too great a price, she needed a weapon in hand.

When her turn came, it was already late afternoon.

Vaulting onto the platform, Ji Yao silently drew the standard flying sword issued by her sect from her storage pouch. She saluted her opponent, then twirled her sword and assumed her stance.

Why use the standard sword? Ji Yao recalled the art of war: "An inch longer is an inch stronger; an inch shorter is an inch more perilous." Her opponent wielded short weapons, relying on cunning and danger; if Ji Yao wished to avoid close combat, she had to choose a long weapon—of which she possessed only a sword and a flute.

The flute was mainly for sonic attacks, unsuitable for this match; thus, the sword was her only choice.

Ji Yao had only the Flexible Sword and the standard flying sword as options.

The Flexible Sword was uniquely shaped, and as Situ Jing had said, its quality surpassed ordinary spiritual weapons, reaching the level of a true magical treasure. Unlike the Moonlight Flute, which, though a high-grade spiritual artifact, only appeared to be made of top-tier material.

If she brought out the Flexible Sword, its magical quality would draw covetous eyes, and for someone at the Qi Refining stage, it consumed too much spiritual energy, preventing her from unleashing its full potential.

Moreover, its secret unity with the Moonlight Flute would be exposed—a risk Ji Yao, still weak, was unwilling to take. The fewer people who knew of her trump cards, the safer she would be.

Her opponent, meanwhile, had no words for her either, merely returning the salute and revealing her twin blades.

Both moved simultaneously, their forms equally agile. Ji Yao, however, only shifted defensively, stepping side to side and forward and back, slashing from different directions to block three sides, forcing her adversary to retreat.

The other woman lunged forward, seemingly attacking but in fact probing Ji Yao’s limits.

Sword aura collided, ringing out sharply like clashing metal, echoing across the arena.

Their first exchange ended with both retreating to their original positions.

Though some claimed offense was the best defense, Ji Yao maintained her own understanding. Under equal conditions, perhaps—but if her opponent was clearly stronger, to emphasize only aggression would violate the principles she had always lived by.

Ji Yao never intended to be a pure sword cultivator; to her, the method mattered little, only the insight she gained. The path of immortality lay everywhere, governed by the natural law, and accessible by a single way.

Thus, in subsequent exchanges, Ji Yao stuck to her method, rigorously blocking her opponent’s routes, keeping her at bay while waiting for an opening.

Qi Lianyi felt increasingly constrained, robbed of the fluid ease of her earlier matches.

Every attack was blocked from afar; just as she thought she might close the gap, sword aura flashed from all directions, forcing her to split her attention.

What troubled her even more was that, in her hurried responses, Qi Lianyi couldn’t distinguish which sword aura was real and which was merely a luminous blade.

The momentum was fierce, but as she braced for impact, the seemingly sharp aura dissipated at the touch, turning into dazzling light without any force.

Sword light blazed, enveloping her—blinding but harmless—yet when she inadvertently struck it, it suddenly solidified, sending a shock through her organs and stirring her vital energy.

This couldn’t go on! Qi Lianyi found her mind growing restless; every time she attacked with the Meteor Shards, her frustration mounted, leaving her entirely passive.

She needed to reverse her fortunes, seize control, and dictate the rhythm of her attacks! Calming her turmoil, Qi Lianyi began to observe closely, searching for the crucial moment to break through.

Suddenly, the sword aura encircling her flickered, seeming to weaken.

Now was the time! Qi Lianyi’s spirits soared as she leapt forward.

The opportunity had finally arrived—she’d taken the bait!

Ji Yao lowered her head, a barely perceptible curve forming at her lips.